


Peace

by doridoripawaa



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, F/M, Revenge, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2020-09-24 10:44:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20357173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doridoripawaa/pseuds/doridoripawaa
Summary: Can Dimitri in his grieving, vengeful state obtain peace for even one night? Will his heart let him rest? Byleth is going to ensure that he does, or she will die trying.





	Peace

"Please, let me stay!" The young maiden gazed up at Dimitri with pleading eyes, desperation saturating her voice. Clearly her soul was aching to avenge her fallen brother, no matter what type of hardship she may have to face.

Clearly, the prince of Faerghus could not care less. His own eye was cold as ice, shrouded by darkness that revealed the inner turmoil in his heart. "Let her do as she pleases," he grumbled before turning on his heel and shuffling away, dragging his matted black and blue cape behind him. 

Byleth wouldn't exactly call Dimitri's act one of kindness, but at least he didn't turn the girl away. Tolerance was... even more than he had shown some of the monks at Garreg Mach, in all honesty. 

However, Dimitri's unexpected passivity about the situation did cause one tiny trifle for their army to address. Thankfully, they had suffered no fatalities, and Byleth once again thanked the goddess inside her for granting her the power to protect the people she cares about. With no losses and a sudden addition to the team, though, they were now shy one bed for the night before venturing back to the monastery.

Dimitri surprised her once again when she brought the matter to everyone's attention at the post-battle discussion. "I'm grateful to the goddess that we are all here," Byleth said, "but we will need to solve this little problem so that everyone can have a restful sleep after such a fierce battle."

"I don't need a bed," Dimitri announced before waiting to see if Byleth had finished speaking. "I don't need sleep."

Byleth suppressed a sigh and turned to face the grumpy prince. "Everyone needs sleep, Dimitri. I can't just deprive you of --"

Dimitri snapped back at her with a low growl in his throat. "Sleep is a waste of time! I'll train throughout the night. I can't destroy _her _if I spend all my time lazing around."

The temperature in the room seemed to noticeably drop. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. Everyone cast quick sideways glances at one another, as though silently willing someone to speak.

Byleth answered their prayers. 

"If you stay up all night, then you'll be wasting your energy. We aren't going after the emperor in the dead of night," Byleth reminded him coolly.

"Speak for yourself, woman!" Dimitri slammed his hands on the table and rose to his feet. Byleth winced, but not because of his rash actions. Instead, she found herself recoiling from the crazed look in his eye. He had a one-track mind, and he was plainly focused on destruction. "I'm leaving now."

"Your Highness... There is some sense in what the professor is saying." A low, yet stern, voice rumbled from Dimitri's side. Dedue gazed up intensely at his liege, and the pair made eye contact. Byleth wasn't sure if his close friend's words would be enough to calm the raging prince, but somehow he appeared to be bristling less than before. Byleth breathed a silent gasp of relief that the man from Duscur was alive and well and able to exert some sort of calming influence on Dimitri.

"I'll be off. This discussion is a waste of time. I can sleep in the dirt for all I care." Muttering under his breath but loud enough for Byleth to hear, he added, "That's where a beast like me belongs."

Without further ado, Dimitri walked away from the table. The soft murmur of conversation began to pick up again after a moment, as the army discussed their plans for the next day and reviewed some areas where they needed to strengthen their offensive and defensive tactics.

The only strategy that Byleth could focus on, however, was how she would convince the prince to sleep tonight. "I guess... I'll just have to sleep with him."

The green-haired professor missed seeing Sylvain spit out his drink.

* * *

"Is this some kind of joke? Did Rodrigue put you up to this?"

Dimitri scowled down at the woman who sat on the edge of his cot. Even without her usual cloak and armor, she still tried to maintain her air of authority via her posture and her tone.

However, whether she was his professor or not, Dimitri was still the heir to the throne and thus still in charge. She hoped to be able to convince him out of respect for her rather than purely by status. "This was my idea, Dimitri." Byleth kept her voice level as she looked up at the blonde beast. "Faerghus needs you, which means Faerghus needs you to rest."

Dimitri sneered at her and cast off his blood-stained, filthy old cloak as if he hadn't heard a word she'd said. He began to twirl his lance and then stretch, as if preparing to head into a training ground or a mock battle. "Faerghus needs me to avenge the king and queen," he snarled. "To that end, I will not rest until justice is served."

"Dimitri, go to bed, dammit!" Byleth did not intend to snap at him, but her patience was wearing thin. Personally, she was exhausted and wanted to sleep herself. She knew she couldn't leave Dimitri alone in this state, though; she had already left him alone to stew in his rage, revenge, and regret for five years.

"I cannot rest!" He whirled around to face her at last. "I cannot take any rest until Edelgard faces eternal rest!" 

Vengeance was a powerful motivator, but also a destructive one. Clearly his obsession with the Tragedy of Duscur had brought him to the brink of his sanity, and seeing his dear stepsister -- no, his dear friend -- Edelgard's face behind that mask had pushed him past the breaking point. "I cannot rest," he repeated, although this time his voice was tinged with sadness. Exhaustion. Defeat. "I do not deserve rest. Besides... they won't let me."

Byleth carefully rose to her feet and reached out her hand. Dimitri pulled back, so instead she sat back down and patted the space next to her on the cot. "Who won't let you?"

Much to her surprise, Dimitri lowered his spear and flopped down on the bed. "My stepmother... My father... Glenn... Citizens... Thieves... Rogues... Monsters..." He chuckled softly. "Monsters. I'm the biggest monster of them all. That's why every ghost who has a reason to haunt me has done so continuously for the past nine years." He held his hands out in front of him. Hands that were strong enough to thrust a lance through an abdomen without any remorse or hesitation, yet hands that currently shivered and shook from a cold not felt by the average person.

"Lay down," Byleth urged him gently, and she laid down herself onto the edge of the bed. "You're doing your best, Dimitri. They can't ask for more. These things take ti-"

"They need her head!" Dimitri snapped. "Severed clean off her shoulders! That is the only gift that will satisfy their desperate cries. My bloody hands can only be purified by her blood. I want her blood to ooze from her throat and onto my lance. I want her life to slip away beneath my fingertips. I want to hear her scream. I want..."

Dimitri nearly jumped out of his skin as a soft and small, yet firm, hand grabbed onto his shoulder. "Dammit, woman," he grumbled. "I'll strike down anyone that gets in my way. And that includes you."

Having said his piece, Dimitri flopped down onto his side. "Now I'm exhausted from arguing with you," he muttered bitterly. "I can't chase after the Imperial Army like this."

"Then close your eyes-"

"And be haunted by ghosts? No thank you, foolish woman."

Byleth barely suppressed her groan of impatience. "Then rest your body. Don't move. Let your muscles and bones recover."

Wordlessly Dimitri hauled the thin blanket over his broad body. He didn't give any indication that he was listening to Byleth, but at least the petulant prince had stopped arguing.

Only a few moments passed before Dimitri spoke again. "Take this blanket," he huffed. "Your chattering teeth are driving me mad."

Byleth bit her tongue, fighting the urge to point out that he already _was _mad. "Keep it. Faerghus needs you more than it needs me. I'll try to warm up."

Dimitri rolled his eyes and suddenly shuffled over. His warm breath tickled the back of Byleth's neck, and his strong arms caught her in a sloppy embrace. Perhaps it was more like a vice grip, but nevertheless Byleth now was folded into his body's protective muscles and warmth. "Now stop your chattering. It's worse than rickety bones."

"Noted," Byleth mumbled as she shuffled in place. Dimitri's grip was so tight that she could really only tilt her head, but not move the remainder of her body. "Thanks," she added a moment later. "I hope the ghosts leave you alone tonight."

Silence. Then, out of seemingly nowhere, "No, thank you. For being my first visitor in years that wasn't an enemy or a ghost."

Maybe Dimitri was keeping her warm tonight, but somehow, Byleth wondered if she had been the one who warmed up his cold heart.

For the first time in years, the prince of Faerghus slept without any interruptions, as though he had clung onto the goddess herself to shield him from his darkness.


End file.
